Shoe last attachment



y 1934- s. SAMUEL ET AL SHOE LAST ATTACHMENT Filed Sept. 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Invenlor 474772506X Jam weZ, /&e0rye JamueZ,

flllorney SHOE LAST ATTACHMENT Filed Sept. 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenfo r JamzaeZ JamueZ, /e07"f6 dawzzwZ,

Patented May 22, 1934 PATENT OFFICE SHOE LAST ATTACHMENT Samuel Samuel and George Samuel, Worcester,

Mass.

Application September 27, 1933, Serial No. 691,196

This invention relates to an improved accessory for use in shoe stores, shoe repair shops, and similar places of business, the same being in the nature of an attachment for standardized types of lasts used by shoemakers and cobblers for stretching and easing shoes.

The ordinary type of last used is principally intended for stretching the toe portion of the shoe in a transverse direction. It usually comprises a wooden form composed of companion parts joined together through theinstrumentality 4 Claims.

of means for expanding and contracting said parts, said means being operable by way of a handle-equipped feed screw. It is sometimes desirable, however, to stretch the shoe longitudinally and various makeshift devices are frequently employed for the purpose.

We have discovered the need for the provision of an attachment capable of use in conjunction '0 with the standard wooden shoe last which attachment can be expeditiously applied to said last and which is constructed with a longitudinally extensible and retractible thrust and stabilizing device made especially to facilitate the longitudinal stretching and secure maintenance of the associated last.

Briefly stated, the attachment comprises a pair of duplicate brackets applicable to the butt end of the last, a clamp mounted for oscillation in 307 said brackets, and a longitudinal thrust device cooperable with the clamp at one end and provided at the opposite end with a special adapter fashioned to fit in and bear against the heel portion of the shoe.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional last showing the improved attachment connected thereto.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional and elevational view taken approximately on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figures 4, 5, and 6 are detail views.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1 and 2 it will be seen that the conventional sectional wooden last is denoted and differentiated by the numeral 7. It comprises the usual companion half sections 8 and 9 and means 10 for attaching the customary handleequipped feed screw 11 thereto for adjustment of the sections 8 and 9, that is, lateral expansion and contraction. This part of the structure forms no part of the alleged novelty of this in-, vention. As beforeindicated, the novelty resides in the particular construction and arrangement of the attachment. This attachment comprises a pair of duplicate attaching brackets 12 secured by screws or other fastenings 13 to the upper portions of the sections Sand 9 at the butt or inner end of the last. The brackets extend beyond said inner end and terminate in supporting eyes 14. These eyes serve to accommodate a mounting or clamp unit 15. This unit, as shown better in Figure 3, comprises a screw-threaded nut 16 located between the eyes and provided with diametrically opposed extensions or trunnions '17 mounted for loose oscillation in the eyes 14. The nut serves to accommodate a bolt 18 having a clamping disk 19 and a finger grip 20.

This unit 15 serves as a mounting and clamp device for the thrust means generally referred to by the numeral 21. The thrust device 21 comprises a part which may be conveniently distinguished as a reach member in the nature of a bar 22 having a finger ring 23 at one end and having its opposite end bifurcated. The furcations 24 are disposed in spaced parallelism and function as supporting arms slidably suspended on the clamping unit 15. This arrangement allows the thrust device 21 to be adjusted back and forth so as to properly position the adapter 25 which is swingably or pivotally mounted on the extreme rear ends of the two arms 24. The pivotal connection between the adapter 25 and arms is indicated in Figure 4 at 26. The adapter comprises a suitably shaped block-like body 27 fashioned to fit against the inner face of the heel and includes the shank portion 28 pivotally mounted between the arms, the shank portion terminating at its upper end in a fork whose fingers 29 are adapted to project above the heel of the shoe, under certain circumstances, so as to permit the handle-equipped end of the feed screw 11 to be rested in the fork between the fingers to aid in stabilizing said feed screw. Incidentally the adjustment of the sections 8 and 9 of the last 7 through the instrumentality of the feed screw 11 is independent and this permits the last to be used in the ordinary way. By securing the attachment on the last, this provides a reach and stabilizing device which not only aids in retaining and positioning the last but provides means on the last to produce the desired longitudinal stretching of the shoe. The specific clamping and mounting unit 15 permits the parts 21 and 25 to be adjusted accurately and securely held in place, and the loose connection of the clamping unit 15 with the eyes of the brackets 12 prevent the thrust device from hindering the expansion and contracting action of the parts 8 and 9 as is obvious.

The gist of the invention is in the provision of an attachment for a last comprising a pair of attaching brackets having eyes to accommodate a rockably mounted clamping and supporting unit 15 which unit in turn serves to support and lock the thrust device 21 in any desired longitudinally adjusted position. In other words, the arms 24 of said device may be clamped firmly between the nut 16 and the clamping disk 19 as is obvious from a consideration of Figure 3. The abutment like adapter 25 is self-accommodating and therefore possesses the requisite inherent properties necessary for accurate control without damaging or marring the heel portion of the shoe.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unncessary.

Minor changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

We claim:

1. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a sectional shoe last including adjusting and operating means, a pair of brackets attached thereto, said brackets being provided with eyes, a nut supported in said eyes, a clamping bolt connected with said nut, a longitudinally extensible thrust unit associated with the nut and bolt, and

a pivotally mounted adapter mounted on the free end portion of said thrust unit and cooperable with the heel portion of the shoe.

2. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a sectional shoe last including adjusting and operating means, a pair of brackets attached thereto, said brackets being provided with eyes, a nut supported in said eyes, a clamping bolt connected with said nut, a longitudinally extensible thrust unit associated with the nut and bolt, and a pivotally mounted adapter mounted on the free end portion of said thrust unit and cooperable with the heel portion of the shoe, said adapter unit comprising a block shaped to conform to the heel portion of the shoe and being formed at its upper end with a fork.

3. An attachment for a last comprising a pair of attaching brackets, a nut, means loosely and pivotally connecting said nut with the brackets, a clamping bolt associated with said nut and including finger actuated means, a bar adjustably connected with the nut and bolt, and a pivotally mounted adapter on the free rear end portion of said bar.

4. An attachment for a shoe last comprising a pair of duplicate brackets provided with attaching eyes, a nut including trunnions loosely and rockably mounted in said eyes, a clamping bolt including a binding disk and a finger grip, a longitudinally extensible bar including arms located between the disk and nut, a finger ring on the inner end of said bar, and a pivotally mounted adapter element mounted between the free end portions of the arms of said bar.

SAMUEL SAMUEL. GEORGE SAMUEL. 

